Hanging Upside Down

Hanging upside down. I'm often asked what it is like tackling your own major home project. Well, it is sorta' like hanging upside down.

Hanging upside down is freeing. Doing your own work on a "epic" project like building your own garage is a great and rewarding feeling. Though your friends and family think you've "lost it" at times you can't help but grin at the fact you're actually accomplishing what you've set out to do. You are a trend-setter...you are the only kid on the "playground" hanging upside down. You are your own person...the creativity, direction, and time on the project belong to you.

Hanging upside down gets attention. Yes, not always the "norm" to bull through and stand among the aisles of Lowe's and/or borrow books from the library on framing, but building your own garage gets attention. The neighbors notice. Conversations are exchanged daily with each neighbor as each milestone of the project is completed. Friends and family ask, "Is your garage done?" or "How is the garage going?" The focus for everyone around you is the garage even when you've rather not even remember at times.

Hanging upside down can be painful after awhile. Yep, one year into the project and sometimes I feel like my head is rushing full of blood from "hanging upside down". Seriously? One year later and we are still plugging away at this "project". It was fun, but know I'm ready to stop hanging upside down and ready to hang up my hat. How many evenings, weekends and free moments can be spent on the garage. Are we there yet?

Hanging upside down can be rewarding. Though the rushing blood to my head can be annoying, I'm ready to go back at it again...hang upside down knowing the end is near. I've carried full sheet of plywood above my head, listened to the kids on the pretend "stage", worked beside my family in rain, sleet, and snow, spent countless hours handing my husband every tool and piece of wood you could ever imagine...but in the end, I know it will be worth it. To say, we built the garage ourselves will be one of those conversation starters someday of true pride.

So after another day of handing over siding and being the "prep and measure" girl; I'll be out there again tomorrow with Drew ready to "hang upside down".


From inside the little blue bungalow,
Katie Jean